Exotica: A Truculent Tale
by H. R. Beck
Summary: The truculent tale of Exotica. Sent on a curious quest to find answers about her origins by a salty old sea fairing O'Possum, Exotica comes face to face with the shadows of her past including how she came to become part of the Jellicle tribe and why.


Exotica was greatly accustomed to being alone. Generally no one noticed her unless she wanted them to. Yet even then there was some question as to whether she really wanted to be seen at all. Exotica was a lean sleek queen of dark coloring. Not quite black or completely brown but some odd mixture that seemed to give her an advantage in poor light and shadowed back grounds. Far too independent for her own good and more opinionated then a sailor on the travel conditions of the sea; Exotica went where she liked and did as she pleased with little to no concern for the danger of it.

Today she was exploring the railway station with the singular focused intention of discovering just how practical the human convention of traveling by train was. If Skimbleshanks could do it Exotica surmised that so could she. It was then that she had decided to test her theory.

"Good Lord Pouncival! Would you please hurry it along? If you're so skittish around things that go boom then why the devil did you insist upon coming?" She inquired in a slightly vexed tone as she picked her way through the human's baggage and kept clear of random people and the Station Master's daughters --whom had a frightening fondness for treating a cat like a human infant, bonnet and all--.

"Well...Someone...had...to...make sure...you didn't...get yourself...into...trouble!" His speech was broken as he desperately tried not to get stepped on while trying to catch up to his dear friend. Unlike Exotica Pouncival was of slower physical development and not in nearly as good of shape as she was. While somewhat awkwardly heavy footed anyway human people seemed to have a tendency to step on him if his wasn't quick enough to get out of the way. So this made for a sort of stop and roll, pounce and go kind of chaotic travel pattern that caused him to trail several feet behind her as they maneuvered through the busy station.

Exotica was kind enough to stop under a near by ticket booth that had been shut down for maintenance to allow Pouncival to catch up, while she double checked her bearing. "Oh thank you my fearless feline knight. Shall I offer you a token of my esteem?" She teased sarcastically when he finally caught up to her. "Keep in mind you still have a full three months left before you grow into your adult whiskers. So don't pretend to be my fearless feline protector in a shining metal pronged collar. You only followed me here because you wanted to get out of your training rounds with Munkustrap" She pointed out with a smirk.

"Oh shut up." Pouncival muttered back in a winded though good spirited fashion. "You're just cranky because when I'm along you can't go diving as quickly into your projects as you'd like. Projects, which I might add, are foolhardy, poorly thought out, and utterly idiotic to attempt. You do know that that nine lives bit is a fabricated lie, don't you? You don't just come back from getting blown up, run over, or...whatever other...loud and..." Pouncival flattened his hears in momentary distaste to further his point, despite the fact he knew it wouldn't do a pinch of good to get her to go home. "Frightening thing you always seem to be attracted to."

"Quiet please. I am trying to read the train schedule." Exotica said gleefully while she pretended to ignore her safety minded friend. In truth her ideas were very well thought out (at least in theory if nothing else) and while perhaps SOME of her exploits were foolhardy Exotica felt they were by no mean idiotic. Not to her at least.

Now it is a very well know fact among the animal kingdom that while perhaps not all animals can read nor read well; Cats, if so inclined to learn, have the capacity to read very well indeed. They can generally read far better then dogs can and at least as well if not greatly better then you're run of the mill human being. In many cases they in fact read a great deal better. Gus the theater cat was perhaps one of the better read felines of the decade and it is quite resoundingly agreed that if cats had imposable thumbs like their human counter parts some would be fair better writers as well. This, my dears, is entirely the reason artists (writers in particular) usually keep two or three cats around. If only to proof read their private works and offer critical impute regarding its worth and grammatical stability.

Exotica as it happened could read very well and even scrawl a word or two when she had the time and inclination. Her deeply close relationship to the somewhat faded though not forgotten Gus the Theater Cat, along with her own wire trap mind had given exotica a deeply rooted love for knowledge. Gus had been insistent that she had the makings of great things in her from a very young age. Exotica sometimes wondered if the eccentric elder tom wasn't being just a tad dramatic for her benefit.

"There." Exotica pointed with one claw. "To get to Victoria Grove from here we need to take the third train going eastward." Satisfied with her progress she grinned in the direction of the enticing train due to arrive in minutes.

"Why are we going there?" He groaned. "If that was your aim we didn't need to come here to go. Not that I can possibly think why you'd need or want to go there in the first place. Mungo and Teaser are more likely to be at the yard than at home. I get motions sickness by Jove! You don't expect me to get on...'

suddenly a booming sound along with a steady rattle sounded while a whistle blew some place. The fright of it all was enough to cause Pouncival to nearly jump out of his skin as he tumbled and dove under a discarded news paper. "What the bloody Scott was that?!?" The train was startlingly loud, though Exotica looked unfazed while Pouncival shivered under the week's news. "I'm not getting on that thing! No! Not happening! Never in a thousand years! Skimble can keep his trains and planes...and other things...that go boom...I want no part of it."

"Fine. Stay behind. You're slowing me down anyway." Exotica said mockingly as she stood and trotted off towards the train to Victoria grove.

"...Gah! Wait for me blast it all! You know, THIS is the primary reason you can't get a mate! Bloody queens...always going off alone...Exotica, wait!" He called quickly disappearing after her as they both boarded the metal monstrosity. Naturally the door nearly closed up on his tail. Pouncival HATED trains. Within minutes he found himself being stepped on while Exotica happily and safely sat comfortably upon the dark window pane.

--

"NEVER AGAIN." Pouncival stated miserably as he practically crawled off the train and onto solid ground like someone who had never known the feel of stable ground before. He looked utterly put out and a little green about his whisker. He knew that Exotica found it amusing that a jump and tumble cat like himself was prone to motion sickness. However, in Pouncival's own defense, there was quite a bit of difference between the wonders of feline acrobatics when compared to the push and shove of a fast moving hunk of steel filled with objects that could squash him at any moment. Pouncival certainly saw something of a difference between the two ideas. "When YOU decide to get some sense and go home, WE are walking there."

"Aww. You were so brave..." Exotica said mimicking Jenny's motherly pat on the head method of comforting a kitten after they received a shot or had a thorn removed. She even pinched his cheek for good measure just to see his ears go red.

"Exotica I'm still queasy... don't make me hair ball on you." Pouncival was obviously not amused by her teasing and looked to be pouting slightly though not enough to suggest he was anything more then annoyed for the sake of it, rather then actually being cross with her.

"So you got your way. We're here, so now what?" He inquired. While Victoria Grove was by no means Macavity's lair, a young couple of cats like themselves could still run into trouble if there were the wrong creatures about. Macavity had eyes everywhere and it wasn't just other cats one had to worry about.

Smiling Exotica backed off him and quickly turned pensive. Generally she wasn't much for mincing words but it seemed like she was suddenly considering something very far off in her mind. "I'm going to pay a visit to someone." She seemed to return to reality then and blinked at him. "I don't know if they're still here but I intend to find out. I'm glad you tagged along Pounce, but this is kind of something I'd like to do on my own if you don't mind. Why don't you go back to the junkyard?" She suggested. "I'm sure Jenny can give you something to settle your stomach." She paused a moment. "Oh and Pouncival I think it might be better if you didn't tell anyone what I've been up too. All right? I'll be back in the yard shortly." She insisted.

"What do you take me for? A snitch?" He looked momentarily indignant before breaking into a grin. "Fine I'll TRY to keep what you're doing under my tail. Not that I actually get WHAT you're doing. Pouncival had learned that Exotica was a queen of singular particularity. If she didn't want someone to know something then they wouldn't and there would be no getting it out of her if one happened to inquire what she was doing or why.

"No. You're not a snitch. You ARE a terrible liar though, which is almost as bad." Pouncival had a tendency to crack like a fortune cookie under the pressure of interrogation. So Exotica had learned it was best to tell him as little as possible about certain things until it was absolutely necessary for him to know them. Trying too hard was mostly the reason he screwed up most of the time, bless the poor fellow's heart.

Finally the two said their good byes and turned in separate directions. Pouncival was going back to the junkyard where he was safe from the human made misery of quick motion. Walking would always be the most logical form of travel in his mind. That was why animals were given legs, after all. As he got further away Pouncival couldn't help but wonder what Exotica was up to. What ever it was he knew she'd eventually come clean in her own good time. Until then he'd try to forget about the entire miserable experience of the train and go find some grass to eat.

Exotica waited calmly to make sure Pouncival was safely on his way before she turned and began to slowly examine the housing that existed along the street. She was looking for one house in particular. The trouble was, it had been so long since she'd sought out the residence that Exotica was having some difficulty recalling exactly where it was.

Like several other cats in the Jellicle tribe, Exotica had not been born in the Junkyard. Upon inquiry about her origins when she became an official adult Gus had joyfully explained that her mother was a Jellical and that upon her initiation into adulthood, she had chosen to leave the junkyard to seek out a different life elsewhere. The rest Exotica knew.

When her mother had become pregnant she returned to London and took up residence in a small thatch roofed flat. It was there that a single kitten had been born and where Exotica had been given her name. Relatively quickly Exotica's independent personality came into focus. Though she was only a few weeks old by the time she was four weeks along she'd already started trying to eat semi solid food and her vocabulary had developed quicker then most. It was in the empty thatch house that she had meet Colossus The Great. The male opossum was rather ancient and couldn't see very well but it was he who had taught her to speak and begun planted the seed that would later help mold Exotica into the queen she now was. When her mother had promptly left her to return to her worldly travels at only six weeks, it was Colossus the great who had ensured her survival and eventually sent her to Gus and the Jellical Tribe. She hadn't seen him since.

Exotica, being the almost rigidly independent feline that she was, had never questioned her mothers absence nor felt any resentment to-wards her for it. In her mind her mother had recognized that Exotica was in a place where she would be happily able to thrive without her. Now however Exotica found herself needing to seek out her first mentor once more, if only to find out one important thing that had just recently started to eat at her. Exotica wanted to know who her father was. She couldn't understand why it mattered so much; she only knew that it did.

Never one to give up Exotica finally came to a small thatch roofed flat nestled uncomfortably between two newer developments. It was rather amazing the structure was still standing anymore given that there were shacks in better condition. The flat was a staple however, for passing sea men in port to refuel or vagabond sailors looking for a cheap residence to rent while they gambled away their profits before shipping back out to sea. At the moment the flat looked unoccupied which meant gaining entry undetected would be much easier. Exotica carefully shimmied up the cracked drain pipe on to the roof. If she remembered correctly there was a gap where the thatching had become weak that should have been more then big enough for her to fit through. Hopefully Colossus the Great was still here and Exotica suddenly found her self slightly ashamed that she'd never thought to return sooner. She owed Colossus her life after all.

Finding the hole just as she had expected Exotica carefully crept through it to walk along the high beams that cress-crossed the ceiling. It was very dark, save the light coming from the hole. And there was a distinct think smell of rotting wood, sea water, and dust that instantly caused her nose to itch. The smell made it difficult to tell if any other living creature was in.

"Hello?" Exotica called in a hushed fashion as she pawed at her nose trying to clear the dust from her nostrils. "Is...is anyone here?' She stepped more fully onto the beam. Even with her cat eyes it was difficult to discern shapes along the beams.

"Humph. Who wants to know? Ye scourge." A gravelly voice with a wheeze muttered from somewhere Exotica couldn't identify.

"You ARE here. My god, I don't believe it." Exotica said in surprise. A part of her had entirely expected the giant rodent to be long gone or dead. "Colossus. It's Exotica. Do please come down from wherever your hanging. I need to talk to you."

"Exotica, eh?" Colossus seemed to be speculating something. "You don't mean that wee kit, er rather of doing what ye supposed to do decided to do what ye weren't." There was Silence. "Well, if ye are her Colossus supposes he should check for good measure to be right sure of it."

From somewhere above her and to the right a beam gave a long creak as if something very strong and heavy had left from it. That's when the beam exotica had been standing on suddenly bowed slightly and the feline soon found herself face to face with her old mentor.

Now for those who are not greatly familiar with any Opossums let me say that they are large creatures that have the ability to easily dwarf a Peakiness and out fight even a large sized Pollical. While they are not nearly as nasty natured as badgers are and far better looking then your common mole. Opossums have a cantankerous sense of humor and a particular sense of propriety. They are fairly well known for their poetic instincts and it has often been suggested that Opossums are the somewhat unconventional historians of certain feline sects due to their closely similar intellectual capacity.

This, oddly enough, explains how Colossus would have known to send Exotica to the Jellicals and why out of all the possible custodians that she could have been handed to, Gus had been the one chosen to take responsibility for her.

To someone who hadn't been prepared, actually seeing Colossus up close would have likely scared the whiskers off a common cat. Opossums have the unfortunate luck to look amazingly like giant rats. This is primarily why many humans find them so disagreeable. Now if you suddenly came face to face with a giant version of your favorite afternoon snack, don't you think you'd be a little alarmed by the sight?

Colossus the Great was very old and very large (for a possum). His teeth where stained a dingy yellow and it his left I was cloudy and sightless. No doubt from a combination of an old wound and a cataract that was just starting to invade the other eye. This left the opossum half blind though no less surly. Coming almost nose to nose with Exotica, Colossus gave a loud sniff. His inspection would ultimately decide whether he was going to snap her neck or not.

"Well I'll be stuffed. Ye are she. Hello there lass! Give ye old Colossus a nudge and come have a chat and o cup a tea." He said suddenly grinning. An act which showed a plethora of sharp teeth made for scavenging.

Exotica patiently waited for the great opossum to scavenge around the flat until he was satisfied with himself. Colossus the Great enjoyed living around fellow sea men mostly because it meant he didn't have to trouble himself to much with securing a meal. Fishers and sailors were not the tidiest folk and it was easy enough to hoard away their culinary leftovers when they were away at the pub or passed out in a drunken stupor.

Once he had curled his tail about his massive body upon a coil of rope and sighed gruffly to prove that he was settled, Exotica took the opportunity to start one of the most important conversations she'd had in a long time.

"Colossus, did my mother ever discuss her mate with you?" It should be noted that as upfront as Exotica was the term 'father' was cutting the issue a little too close. After all, if anyone deserved the definition of father in her life the title fit better on Colossus or Gus.

"Mmm. I were wondering when ye might come around asking about that. It's natural after all seeing as your mother didn't exactly leave you much of a legacy to go on. I'm sorry to say I ain't in the best position to provide you with a solid answer." Colossus took a moment to itch with one nail behind his ear.

"Your mother was a good lass. The spitting image of ye from what these old eyes can still see. She traveled farther then some of the best of em. Could never stay in one place too long. She were a wandering kind of spirit, ya see. When she came to me she was in something of a bad way I think. Oh she looked well enough. But there were a look in her eyes I never thought I'd seen. It were like she had been through something she shouldn't have. Left her distant; like she wern't all there with ya." There was a twinge of sadness in his tone. While Exotica stayed a while longer this was pretty much the extent of what the opossum claimed to know.

Chapter two

Cassandra had been sitting out sunning herself when she'd heard Demeter and the others assembling at Jenny's to tend to an injured new arrival. There was talk the kitten was another escapee' from Macavity's domain. There had been a lot of them lately which Cassandra thought passing odd. Naturally her interest caused Cassandra to seek out her partner to discuss the matter.

Alonzo and Cassandra had a particular sort of relationship. They were mates and yet not. Neither would admit to commitment nor stray elsewhere. They were engaged in a strange sort of strategic courtship that seemed all together impossible to follow. There was however no question to those that had the experience to recognize it, that despite the impersonal yet cordial front the two put on, they were in fact deeply in love with each other and just to proud to admit it openly.

Alonzo was sleeping in the broken down chicken cope that he used when in the yard. He had another a more private place outside the yard where he spent most of his free time. Seeing as he was off duty and in the yard Alonzo intended to take full advantage of it by sleeping.

The moment Cassandra poked her head through the broken opening Alonzo's eye automatically opened. Even though he was a light sleeper by nature Cassandra's presence drew his attention out of reflex. Both felines were sharply aware of each others presence at all times and they were well versed in each others habits.

"What is It Cassandra." He asked quietly, very few might have picked up on the slight buzz that seemed to emanate from them when they were together or the burning energy that existed just behind their eyes when they peered at one another. Alonzo remained utterly relaxed however and gave no other indication that he was pulsed by her appearance in his quarters.

"There's another kitten in the yard thought to be from Macavity's domain. It's unusual, do you think. It's not in Macavity's nature to allow so many adepts out of his grasp especially as kittens. " Cassandra informed him. The two never touched when they were alone and the air was heavy between them.

"Yes. You'd think he'd sooner kill them then let them escape so easily from his grasp. They're too young to be sent to the tribe with ulterior motives. I wonder if there's not more to this then meets the eye. Perhaps the Napoleon of Crime is having some kind a trouble. He has seemed awfully subdued lately. The others would likely assume he's planning something sinister but I'm not so sure it's as simple as all that. Macavity is organized, these kitten showing up half dead like this isn't." Alonzo mused.

"I've heard whispers." She declared as if to confirm something private between them.

"You mean about the mad cat that's been said to have joined his party? Yes I've heard whispers about that as well. Rumors and superstition mostly from what I can gather. They say it's a queen with reflection less ebony pupils ringed in pink. It seems strange. I've never heard of such a thing." Alonzo was not an actual Jellical. He had been brought into the tribe by Old Deuteronomy from circumstances that had never really been made clear to anyone. Naturally no one tended to question his origins.

Cassandra only nodded her head before growing silent.

"Is there something else?" He knew Cassandra well and could pick up just as much from what she didn't say then what she did. They were alike in that way.

"I'm concerned about Exotica. She's been growing restless as of late. More then I've ever seen her. Her mother was my mother's sister. Given that she has no blood family left I feel responsible for her well being. I'm concerned she's contemplating leaving the tribe. That in itself is her right, but to go alone?"

I don't think you give her enough credit my..." The endearment almost managed to slip from his tongue before he caught it and corrected himself. "My experience says she'd do pretty well on her own. She's a scraper and apparently not without friends."

"You saw her when she was out of the yard then?" Cassandra lifted one finally shaped regal brow.

Alonzo smiled cheekily. "Yes, while on me way here. I saw her go into one of the houses in Victoria Grove. I naturally asked around. Apparently a salty bad natured Opossum lives there. I assume you know more about that then I."

Cassandra blinked momentarily in surprise. "My, my. So that old sea rat is still living. I would have though the sailors would have chased him off or killed him by now. Colossus the Great. Exotica was put in his care and brought here by him when she was a kitten. I believe Gus knows him; an old acquaintance of some kind. I wonder what could have inspired her to go there."

Alonzo reflected a moment as if he was remembering something of his own history that was disturbing to him. "Well, perhaps she has questions. She can't exactly go to most of us about her family history, can she?" Alonzo knew what it was like to need answers about ones past as well as how difficult it was to keep ones own past to themselves.

"No I suppose not. I know nothing of my aunt save that she left the tribe. It was something of a distressing topic to my mother and she generally refused to discuss it. I would imagine Gus doesn't know much more and I judging by the way she came back I suspect Colossus didn't have much information either." Cassandra shook her head.

"So you really think she'd actually leave, do you?" He inquired returning to the heart of the subject.

Exotica has always been a single minded queen and utterly fearless about her choices. If she decides to leave then she will and there won't be any talking her out of it." At that Cassandra grew quiet and stared at Alonzo with an expectant gleam in her eye.

Alonzo dared to resist her a moment, before he caved in to her obvious intention. "I suppose that is you're subtle way if saying you want me to go talk to Munkustrap about this."

Cassandra only shrugged in her regal unconcerned way.

You do realize there are at least three queens per one tom around these parts. Just where do you expect us to dig up a prospective canidate?" He asked skeptically.

Generally it was not Alonzo's personal interest to play matchmaker. That was a job he felt better suited to Jennyanydots or Jelly. If it had been anyone else but Cassandra asking he would have sent her packing of to one of the other queens.

"Really Alonzo, it's not as if I'm asking YOU to court her. Do be realistic. Exotica is a fully grown queen. There are certainly enough eligible Toms to go around. I'm sure you and Munkustrap can come up with someone." Cassandra shrugged again although this time a pragmatic smile sat on her lips.

Alonzo's cheeks flushed under his white and black coloring at the suggestion of him courting Exotica. Though he would never admit it even to himself he had his paws full trying to court HER.

"Fine. And how is Exotica to feel about this conspiracy? You said it yourself when she makes a choice she'll stick with it come hell or high water. Don't you think she might be a little upset when she finds out we've been meddling?"

"Not if she doesn't find out." Cassandra purred before rising to leave.

"Why do I feel like I'm flirting with the devil..." He muttered to himself shaking his head with his arms crossed as he watched Cassandra saunter away. "Heavyside help us." He offered as he settled back down to get a few more minutes to sleep. Sleep which he knew wouldn't come. Not with Cassandra fresh scent engulfing him in the coop. Dash it all.

Chapter Three

Trying to recover from the quiet disappointment of her morning expedition to Victoria Grove, Exotica was now sleeping a top the broken chicken coop. technically it belonged jointly to Alonzo and Cassandra, this was why Exotica preferred to nap atop the structure in full glare of the warm sun rather then in the structure it self. For some reason the combination of Alonzo and Cassandra's scent intermingled within the coop gave it a very private sense of solemn comfort that seemed better left alone.

There was something about the feel that both attracted and repelled her at the same time. At the moment she was content to ignore any discomfort for the sake of feeling warm and safe. It was hard to feel sorry for ones self when sitting directly in the open air and sunlight. It brought a measure of thick peace, if she was still a bit tense.

Unbeknown to Exotica Cassandra had been keeping a close eye on her cousin throughout the morning. While there was no denying that Exotica was tactful, Cassandra was more cunningly gracious then her relation and picked as well as planed her confrontations carefully.

For Cassandra life was a strategic game of chess. Every move she made was carefully and critically calculated and weighed for success along with propriety. It was a mark of Cassandra's nobility for she could chart her family as far back as the Pharaohs, to perhaps even before when the world was still young and man revered fire and earth as Gods.

Cassandra had been waiting for the right moment to broach the delicate topic of what was quickly becoming Exotica's future path. Seeing as she was a good few years older (Which was very much like comparing a twenty year old to someone of the seasoned age of forty) Cassandra felt it was her duty to try and guide her cousin in the direction that would obviously benefit Exotica the most.

Exotica smelled Cassandra before she actually heard or saw her, for of all the felines Exotica had ever known Cassandra had the ability to walk silently at will. Making it entirely hard to know she was walking directly toward you without seeing or smelling it first.

"Ehk! I don't want to talk Cass, go forth and...leave me out of whatever your thinking." Exotica muttered tucking her head under one paw and arching her back in a roll so that her stomach was sprawled out before the glory of the sun.

"I think it's time you and I had a word, Exotica. I know where you went today and I'd like to give you the opportunity to tell me why?" Cassandra said evenly with almost no emotional inflection. She was baiting the waters actively aware that Exotica would try and evade her at every opportunity.

"Is that so? Well little miss nosey you tell me then, because I'd really rather like to go back to sleep if you DON'T mind..." She muttered sharply in reply.

Let it never be thought that a cat doesn't on occasion earn the title being hissy. Because that was exactly how one would have described Exotica's tone if one had been there to hear it.

"All right, fine. You want to make this one sided? Then so be it. I see you're going to insist upon being as undignified as possible about this. Just what do you think you were doing going off to Victoria Grove on a train to see some stale crusted salt opossum. Do you have any idea what might have happened to you going about it like that?" Cassandra lectured.

"Did you even take into consideration that Pouncival will likely go into fits every time he hears a whistle blow because you insisted upon dragging him on something he was OBVIOUSLY terrified of?" She continued to question.

Fore you see reader, after hearing word of a train from Alonzo; Cassandra had made short time of seeking out Pouncival and goading him until he broke down under the pressure of Cassandra's questioning and spewed forth the whole unsavory story of he and Exotica's adventure on the railway train.

Going to Victoria Grove had been one thing but dragging Pouncival along without any explanation the way Exotica had done was somewhat inexcusable as far as Cassandra was concerned. The poor tom would likely have nightmares for months.

"I have a right to go where I want. How I want; and if Pouncival was so afraid to come with me then he shouldn't have insisted on it." Exotica said bluntly starting to grow aggravated. "I should have known he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut."

"Are you honestly listening to how unreasonable your being? Look if you wanted to talk to Colossus why didn't you come to Gus or I first? Did you even consider we might be able to answer your questions?" Cassandra inquired.

"Look I know you don't know anything about my mother which I find passing strange since you seem to know quite enough about every one ELSE ever related to you. As for Gus he won't talk about her without becoming tearful and I wasn't going to put him through that kind of pain when there was the possibility that Colossus could tell me what I wanted to know." She said defensively.

"Yes but you could have at least told one of us where you were going!" Cassandra argued.

At that Exotica paused to stare at her cousin. "What is this really about? You're acting like you're angry at me for doing something juvenile. What do you care what I do or where I go? You not my mother and I have been an adult for quite some time now. Isn't it a little late to be playing surrogate parent?"

The last comment effectively stung Cassandra into silence and Exotica instantly regretted the harsh inference after she said it. However the damage was already done.

"You're right I'm not your mother and perhaps it was ill conceived of me not to take responsibility for you when you were brought to us. However I will not explain myself to you about it. It's true I know little of your mother who was my aunt. What I do know of her departure was that it deeply hurt my mother and Asparagus, so much so that neither of them was ever willing to discuss the topic afterwards. I think that is quite enough to know indeed. You are my kin Exotica. We are bound to each other in that respect. Your obvious unhappiness with your life is my unhappiness. I won't deny you your independence if you take care not to deny me my right to feel concerned for those I love. If you will not accept my sympathies as your relation then at least allow me to express them as your friend." Cassandra replied evenly.

Remorse blossomed in Exotica chest. She hadn't meant to hurt Cassandra's feelings. Particularly when the feline was only expressing how much she cared. Exotica groaned and nuzzled her face into wood of the chicken coop frame. This day was just getting worse and worse. Not only did she feel disappointed but now Exotica felt ashamed as well.

"Cassie, I'm Sor—" When Exotica looked back up to apologize she discovered she was talking to nothing. Cassandra had left her to her misery.


End file.
